Columbus, GEORGIA

Parent pleads guilty to forcing her children to file false report against a teacher.

GUILTY PLEA & SENTENCING July 24, 2008 - Amanda Powell, 42, pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of second-degree cruelty to children and one count of making a false report. She threatened her children to make them accuse a teacher of inappropriate touching in 2006.

The teacher was not arrested. Police investigated and evidence pointed to Powell.

It wasn't the first time that Powell was involved in such accusations. In a 2003 case, a teacher told Muscogee County Superior Court Judge Frank Jordan Jr. that Powell approached her one afternoon as she was escorting students to a crosswalk. Powell walked up and started to "rant and rave" about her children being molested.

Powell was sentenced to five years' probation and told to continue treatment, medication, counseling and mental evaluations. Her children have been removed to foster care.